


Through Paths Where Wolves Fear

by saltylikecrait



Series: The Moonlight Howls [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Animal Transformation, Blood and Injury, Body Horror, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-26 08:50:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15659856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltylikecrait/pseuds/saltylikecrait
Summary: Finn thought that the biggest change in his life was just going to be the fact that werewolves existed and that his girlfriend happened to be one. Then the night of the Incident happened...





	Through Paths Where Wolves Fear

The Change was always the roughest on the night of the full moon.

Finn watched as his girlfriend paced the living room of their cabin, half-Changed and looking more monster than human or beast. She snarled at the pain that rippled through her spine as it forced her to shift from two legs to four. Her shoulders and hips would be the next parts to shift and Finn could tell by the repositioning of her bone structure that those were probably the most painful changes. The night of the full moon was always the worst night because it forced the human to become a beast and the Change to happen too quickly. They could struggle and resist all they wanted, but the Change would always win.

“You doing OK, Rey?” he asked. He knew there was nothing he can do to help her so he tried to both stay out of her way and keep an eye on her. Rey had told him horror stories of how the sudden transformation and pain caused panic and wolves broke shoulders and hipbones trying to escape that fear. If they could, it was recommended by the pack to change earlier in the day, to take the day off from work or school even. At least then, the Change could happen at their own pace and they would be spared the worst.

It wasn’t always this bad for wolves, apparently. Rey told him that once, Wolves could change between their forms nearly effortlessly and without pain. The last couple of generations, she said, had seen a transformation in their biology. Suddenly, offspring reported twinges of pain in their bones and muscles and as the decades went on, the pain became worse. It wasn’t uncommon to meet a wolf that only transformed on the night of the full moon, preferring to avoid the aches and pains and dangers now associated with it. A shame really, Finn thought. He found that while watching the Change was pretty terrifying, the outcome and results that nature provided them was truly a sight to behold. He felt privileged to bear witness to the Change, knowing when a wolf decided to share that part of her life with a human it meant that she trusted him with her greatest secret.

He loved Rey, and while she often told him verbally that she loved him, too, it wasn’t until he had witnessed her Change for the first time that he realized _how much_ she did. She trusted him not to run away or hurt her after seeing what she would become at least once a month. She trusted him to accept and love every part of her, both the human and the creature.

She couldn’t speak real sentences at this point; her mouth was too misshapen as her face elongated into something more wolf-like. Werewolves weren’t quite the same as real wolves in appearance. Finn decided that they looked more similar to the wolf’s domestic cousin with their shorter snouts and flatter faces. They kept some of their human aspects in appearance, though even he found their vestige a little too uncanny at times. Once a wolf got to this point in the Change, Finn believed they still experienced incredible pain with the only comfort coming from the fact that this was one of the last and quickest parts of the transition.

And as if to prove his point, Rey snarled at him in an non-threatening manner and darted towards the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. He grimaced when he heard her pound against the tile floor, emitting a low moan that sounded almost like a mournful howl.

The bathroom was silent for another ten minutes before Finn heard her rough panting echoing off the walls.

“Rey?” he called, wondering if she needed help. He gripped his phone in his hand, ready to call Han for advice.

This was the third Change he had witnessed, but even with the last two ending up just fine, he still worried. He felt relieved that he had an ally with her uncle, a human that married a pack leader and who had seen his fair share of Change-related injuries and told Finn to call him if he had questions. Han could tell him if he needed to be worried about Rey or if he needed to relax and let Rey finish the transition by herself. Luckily, they weren’t too far away from Rey’s family since they spent the night in one of the nearby rental cabins that was deemed safe by the pack.

Even when they were dating and long before Rey even told him about her inhuman nature, she would come to this spot alone to experience her Change without worrying about her neighbors seeing. Finn found that it was a nice spot to relax and get away from city life for a night and he knew that the familiarity of the cabin took a little of the edge off Rey while her brain and body was in panic mode. The nearest city with major medical centers was only a fifteen-minute drive away, though it would take longer with the snow on the ground like tonight.

A turn of the doorknob signaled him to move out of the way as an over-sized, 120-pound wolf fell from her balance on two legs to four. She panted as she slowly made her way to the cabin bedroom and stopped in front of the bed, lifting her front limbs to the top of it and struggling to pull herself up.

Finn gave her back paws a boost, and she finally clambered onto the bed with an exhausted huff, trying to burrow herself in the warm fleece blankets that smelled like home. He helped her with that, too, by lifting one of the blankets and draping it over her.

She directed a short _wuff_ at him; he had learned that this is her way of saying thanks to him in this form.

Lying next to her, Finn ran his fingers through her soft brown fur. It was sleek and Finn found that there was something comforting about stroking her fur and being next to her warm body.

They fell asleep and Finn guessed that an hour passed before he heard Rey shuffle from under the covers.

“Hi, sunshine.” He smiled. “Feeling better?”

Panting with her tongue hanging out and her eyes wide – a very goofy look for Rey in any shape or form – she suddenly pounced on him, burying her face into his neck. He laughed and scratched her behind the ears and watched in delight as Rey’s long tail beat up and down on the bed.

As a human, Rey’s ears were sensitive to his touch; as a wolf she was no different.

Another hour was spent like that, with Rey acting like a large puppy playing with her human. He believed that, at first, Rey behaved like that to reassure him, to tell him in her own way that she would never hurt him in any form. Now, it felt like this became a way for her show her joy with being able to share this night with someone she loved.

Finn then thought about Rey’s usual habits and remembered how she often takes a run through the forest that begins a few yards out for a couple of hours before settling back in bed with Finn until the pains of the Change returned the next morning.

“Are you going outside tonight?”

Rey looked out the window at the snow, tinted blue from the shadows that the moonlight created. Sighing, she slumped back on her side of the bed, answering his question. He got it; it was cold out. Rain was something she could deal with, though her fur often stunk with the smell of wet dog when she returned. She had told Finn that she used to spend all of the morning after cleaning the cabin of all the mud she used to track in because she couldn’t in her wolf form. No thumbs, you see.

Snow was a rare thing in this area, and at the end of December the temperature was just slightly below freezing. He didn’t blame her for wanting to wait out the duration of the Change in the warmth of the cabin.

She fell back asleep and Finn cuddled up to her, dozing off in the comfort of her fur once more.

* * *

A howl startled them out of their sleep.

With a yelp, Rey flung herself off the bed and bolted to the window seat of the living room, trying to get a look outside. Finn followed her and glanced out, too.

The shadowy figure of a giant wolf emerged from the trees. He waited for a few moments, staring into the windows of the cabin and howled again. As he grew closer, he revealed himself to be a _massive_ jet-black wolf.

Red droplets of blood stained the snow...

Finn and Rey looked at each other, concerned. He wasn’t sure, but he had a hunch that this was Rey’s cousin Ben who disowned the family and left the pack months ago. Finn knew the story and the drama around it and agreed with Rey when she told him that she didn’t want to get involved. Rey only knew what her cousin was up to thanks to Facebook and Reddit and had relayed the story as it unfolded.

First, he changed his name to Kylo Ren, which everyone thought was stupid. Rey made jokes about that for weeks.

Secondly, he decidedly hated Finn, and the only reason was because Finn was human.

They had never met and honestly, Finn never had the desire to. Ben Solo went funny a few years back in the wrong kind of way, according to Rey. He didn’t like humans and thought interbreeding should not be allowed in the pack, ignoring that his own father was a human. He and Rey, in particular, should not be mixing with humans in his opinion, being essentially pack royalty by coming from a few generations of pack leaders.

This logic hurt Finn’s head when he tried to get a grasp of the concepts. None of it made any sense.

Rey had blocked him on Facebook after she agreed to move in with Finn. That was months ago, but Rey was still heartbroken that her cousin would turn into such a monster. She hadn’t heard from him since, and she had assumed that he was done with her, too.

Running to the door, Rey pawed at it and looked at Finn, who sighed. He really didn’t want her to go out alone… Honestly, Finn really didn’t know what would be the best action to take here. Maybe he should call Han and tell him about his son’s state. They hadn’t spoken to each other for months either, but Finn knew that Han wouldn’t just leave his son to bleed out in the snow.

“OK, but if he starts trouble, come back.”

Finn watched as she ran to her cousin and stopped to face the black wolf. Based on their stance, they were communicating with one another. They looked at each other directly with Rey standing her ground.

When Rey looked ready to strike him, her teeth bared and her ears pinned back, Finn knew that her cousin was not there because he needed help. She growled and lunged at him, snapping her jaws as she barely missed him.

For a wolf that had been injured enough that his blood was soaking into his fur and dripping to the ground, Ben Solo was still incredibly strong. He snapped back at Rey, striking her with one of his paws. The force of the strike was strong enough to send her flying backwards, hitting the trunk of a nearby evergreen with a yelp as she fell to the ground, unmoving.

In panic, Finn ran back to the bedroom to unlock a safe in the closet where they stored a hunting rifle and silver bullets. Suddenly, he understood why Rey had been so keen to have them on hand even as she insisted it was just a safety precaution.

When he thought back to the first time he stayed with her at this cabin, he recalled how Rey shifted uncomfortably and didn’t dare to look Finn in the face when she told him about the rifle. He wondered if it had already occurred to Rey that this might happen…

A low howl sounded outside, and Finn rushed to load the rifle.

With a quick glance outside to make sure the way is clear, Finn quietly exited the cabin, leaving the door slightly ajar and avoid any sudden sounds. Solo was gone, but the trail of small blood splatters suggested that he had ran off into the woods. Unless he had lost more blood than it had initially seemed, Finn knew that he would come back and was lurking about while using the trees and underbrush as cover.

Never taking his hands off the trigger, Finn moved quickly to Rey, who was still unconscious under the tree. He knelt down beside her, placing a hand gently on her to feel her breathing.

“Rey?” he whispered. It was a relief to see the motion of her breath within her belly, but she wasn’t waking up and he knew he couldn’t carry her back to the cabin without leaving himself defenseless.

He decided that for the moment he had to leave her there. He needed to call Han, and if Kylo Ren showed up again, well, Rey probably wouldn’t blame Finn for shooting the Wolf.

Just as he moved away from her, her cousin was upon him.

Without any other defense to aid him, Finn held the rifle, ready to shoot. Strangely, the rifle was a sight that gave Ren pause. He stared at it with curiosity for a moment, not reacting to the fact that it was aimed to kill him.

With a slight pressure of his finger, Finn did not hesitate to pull the trigger. But Ren knew what he was about to do, almost as if he could sense the instant that Finn began the slight movement of drawing his finger back. He rushed forward.

The wolf jumped at him, and Finn used the rifle to get between him and his enemy. Ren missed Finn’s top half, only to find himself biting at the rifle’s barrel. The moment he loosened his bite, Finn drew the rifle back and swung it at the Wolf with all his strength.

His plan was to slowly move towards the safety of the cabin. Rey’s current situation was a concern, yes, but Finn knew that Ren was probably not here to kill his cousin and would leave her alone until Finn could get Han’s help. Still, he met each of Ren’s attack with defense and strength, hoping that maybe the Wolf would tire himself out and give Finn a long enough moment to place silver bullets into his body.

The relentless pursuit of the wolf came to a halt when Ren, taking advantage of the fact that Finn too, was growing tired, made a final lunge for his opponent. Finn’s reflexes weren't quick enough and he felt the chill of fear creep down his spine as the wolf pounced on him and he fell backwards into the snow.

When the wolf jumped at him, Finn used the rifle to get between him and his enemy. Ren missed Finn’s top half, only to find himself biting at the rifle’s barrel. The moment he loosened his bite, Finn drew the rifle back and swung it at the wolf with all his strength.

His plan was to slowly move towards the safety of the cabin. Rey’s current situation was a concern, yes, but Finn knew that Ren was probably not here to kill his cousin and would leave her alone until Finn could get Han’s help. Still, he met each of Ren’s attack with defense and strength, hoping that maybe the Wolf would tire himself out and give Finn a long enough moment to place silver bullets into his body.

The relentless pursuit of the wolf came to a halt when Ren, taking advantage of the fact that Finn too, was growing tired, made a final lunge for his opponent. Finn’s reflexes were not quick enough and he felt the chill of fear creep down his spine as the Wolf made contact with his skin and he fell backwards into the snow.

The pain brought him back to reality.

The wolf clamped down on one side of his shoulder while scratching down his chest. He could tell that both wounds were bringing up blood, but if he didn’t do something quick, Ren would get at his neck.

He made the shot but with his aim being shaky and quick, the bullet just skimmed the top of Ren’s skin and fur. However, the shock from the sudden assault had Ren jump up and away from just enough that Finn could pick himself up, hit Ren once more with the rifle for good measure, and make a run for it.

Slamming the door behind him felt like a relief, but locking it felt even better. He panted heavily, his face overheated and damp with sweat. For a moment, he sat down to take deep breaths and did whatever he could to keep himself in the present. He knew he was having a panic attack but he couldn't let it take over. If it did, the situation would become far more dangerous. He could panic later, he told himself, when he was safe from Kylo Ren.

Taking a deep breath, he turned his head around and glanced out the window. Rey was struggling to her feet and Finn sighed in relief. She seemed a little dazed at first, but she shook herself as if to help right herself again.

The snarl on her face showed only her intense rage and contempt for her cousin. Despite being significantly smaller than Ren, Rey charged at him head on and jumped on him with all her strength. She bit and scratched with raw fury, not aiming at any particular part of Ren’s body. Her instinct was telling her to _kill._

Finn kept watch as he balanced his phone between his good shoulder and ear and pulled a packet of gauze open with his free hand and teeth to press it against his wound. Luckily, the scratch only bled a little. He had tried Han twice already with no answer, and he was now trying a third time to see if maybe, just maybe Han would pick up.

The line prompted him to leave a message and Finn swore before hanging up.

Focusing only now on the Wolves, he looked out the window of the living room, craning his neck to glimpse either of them. They seemed to have run off. And there was more blood on the ground.

Was that Ren’s or Rey’s?

Finn had to keep reminding himself to breathe. If he went outside looking for them, he could likely end up in range of Ben Solo’s anger again.

Then, finally, he spotted something.

The figure of a wolf appeared outside the trees and dragged itself back towards the cabin. Finn squinted to get a better look at it, keeping his fingers crossed that it was the one he wanted to see come back alive.

The wolf’s slender frame told him that it was Rey, and she was hurt.

He wanted to run outside to her, but her cousin could still be lurking around the property, so he resigned himself to wait until Rey limped back to the porch before he opened the door and quickly dragged her back inside.

She moaned as Finn locked the door behind him.

Getting to work quickly, Finn scanned over her injuries. Patches of hair had been ripped out along her shoulder and a large bite mark reddened against the skin, but that looked to be the worst of her injuries. If he had been in the joking mood, he would have teased that they had wounds to match. He guessed that Rey was more exhausted from the fight and that he’d hate to see what the other guy looked like.

He set out to patch them both up, but he wondered from the size of the bites on both of them if they needed stitches. At least he could stop his own bite punctures from bleeding more. 

Trying Han's cell a few more times, Finn sighed when he continued to get a prompt to leave a message and resigned to giving up on that idea.

Finn wouldn’t get the full story out of her until she transitioned back in the morning.

The Change was much more painful with her injuries. Rey yelped and wheezed when her shoulders shifted back into their human location. A sickening _snap_ and a yelp made Finn realize that something had gone horribly wrong and a quick glance confirmed his fears: she had dislocated her shoulder.

He was as careful with Rey as possible, not wanting to harm her further. Finn knew that even the most docile of wolf could suddenly turn dangerous during the pain of the Change, though he was still more afraid of Kylo Ren in any form than he was of Rey accidentally hurting him.

Finn gave her painkillers before she fell asleep after completing the Change. She had been sobbing. The pain was too much. Finn decided to call Rey’s father and her aunt, maybe Poe, in an hour or two to give them some time to finish the transformation and to rest. It was obvious that Rey needed professional medical attention, but Finn had no idea where to take her. Did all hospitals have a special, secret professional that knew of the werewolves’ existence or was that just at certain locations? 

He made breakfast while she rested, checking on her from time to time. The smell of coffee and toast roused her later, but when he offered her some, she didn’t move to take either. Instead, she lay on the bed bandaged and still not dressed, and stared blankly up at the ceiling.

“My uncle is dead,” she finally said before she burst into tears.

The revelation was shocking, and it took Finn a moment to process this. As a comforting gesture, he moved closer to her. “Your cousin…?”

With a nod of her head, Rey sniffed. “He said he challenged my dad last night to be pack leader.” Another sob was torn from her throat. “But the pack ganged up on him and drove him away. He killed Uncle Han and then came here...”

She didn’t continue, and she didn’t need to. Finn knew exactly what she was going to say.

_He came here to kill you._

“Where is he now?” Finn was worried that her cousin was still wandering around, bleeding and with an intent to murder the both of them.

A frown appeared on her face. “I don’t know if he’s even alive anymore,” she confessed. “I bit him on the face, and he ran away. There was a lot of blood. I followed him into the woods, and he collapsed on the ground and didn’t move anymore… I-I didn’t check to see if he was alive.”

She turned towards Finn, still crying, but with a new urgency on her face. “C-can you c-call my dad?” she asked him. “Tell him what h-happened? Tell him I… had to protect my mate.”

The way she used the term was with both a hint of insecurity and total fondness. He had heard some of her packmates use the word before and Finn felt warmth when she called him that. A mate wasn’t just a boyfriend; it was someone that a wolf wanted to spend her life with.

With a nod, Finn hushed her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He left for a few minutes to make the call and returned with breakfast again, hoping this time she would eat.

“The pack is coming,” he told her. “To search the woods.” He looked her shoulder over once more, frowning at the state it was in. “They’re going to take us to the hospital.” Finn made a note to himself to ask Luke to give him the names and numbers of all the doctors that treat werewolves in the area, no questions asked.

She looked at the bandage on his shoulder. “Are you OK?”

“I’m not going to lie to you, Rey,” he told her. “Kylo came very close to killing me tonight.” His heart raced again when he thought about it.

Shame filled Rey’s face, and she turned away. She shifted in the bed, gripping the covers with her uninjured side to hold them up. Understanding this as an invitation to be closer to her, Finn placed the food on the bedside table and slid underneath the blankets. He wrapped his arms around her, careful not to rustle her injured shoulder, and she buried her head against his neck and cried again as she tried to soothe his own anxiety away with gentle touches to his skin.

They waited like that until a knock on the door signaled her family’s arrival.


End file.
